School site in line to become municipal court

Published: April 7, 2003 8:00 PM

Cambridge Municpal Court may soon have a new home but not where it previously had been envisioned.

Monday, the Finance Committee of City Council heard and approved a request from Mayor Sam Salupo for the city administration to enter into agreement with the school district for the purchase of the Park Elementary School property at a cost of $495,000.

The structure would be demolished (at no cost to the city) and a new Municipal Court erected there on a site described by Municipal Court Judge John Mark Nicholson as nearly ideal.

Its big, he said. The larger space gives us more flexibility in design. I think it will enable us to build a more economical and, hopefully, less expensive building than we might have to do at other sites. The fact that state money would be available to the school system for demolition is a very significant factor, enabling us to purchase a clean site. So the cost of demolition in other potential sites is something that would be factored in. It would enable future expansion. I think its money well spent.

The site encompasses about 3.2 acres at the intersection of Highland and Wheeling avenues, at one of the gateways to the citys downtown core. Parking would be available for about 100 automobiles.

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The city had made progress previously toward the purchase of a plot of land in the 500 block of Wheeling Avenue, near the Dewey Avenue Viaduct. That proposal was abandoned, however, amidst concerns the site did not offer sufficient flexibility.

There was concern about the topography, explained Nicholson, and what the slope would dictate as an efficient building design.

Initial architectural proposals indicated a triple-tiered design may have been necessary, increasing project costs and possibly resulting in as much as 8,000 square feet more area than needed.

Nicholson said the cost of the project to taxpayers would be, if existent at all, minimal.

The state legislature authorized, approximately seven years ago, the creation of whats known as a capital improvement fund and a special projects fund, Nicholson said. A certain percentage of each court cost we collect in each case is earmarked to go into a fund to help the courts in Ohio ... build new buildings or improve court facilities. So we hope that the impact on the taxpayers would be extremely minimal. Weve always been very, very conscious of any potential burden on the taxpayers. And I think it would be a very, very small burden, if any.

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Ultimately, the most important question is how much will the total project cost. Thats always been very important.

The need for a new building is threefold.

If we dont get a new court building built, Im sure the federal government could file suit against the city on the Americans with Disabilities Act. The building is not compliant with the [ADA], so were required to make plans to build a new building, said Nicholson.

The building is over 50 years old, dating to the period between the world wars, and is in poor condition, Nicholson said, adding that Monday a gas leak left the structure without heat, and the telephone lines at the office of Law Director Bill Ferguson had been chewed through by a mouse.

The current courthouse is crowded, Nicholson added, and more space is needed to house those agencies with office space in the building.

The committees recommendation must now get final approval from the full council.